Jane Stevens posted:Hi, Russell -- We posted a link today to this very interesting article that partly addresses your question -- https://blogs.psychcentral.com...al-health-treatment/
Here's an excerpt:
Allow me to explain what I mean by trauma complicating treatment. About 7 years ago I was assigned an older aged client (about 66yrs old) while an intern in a community mental health center. This older male had a long history of chronic abuse and domestic violence from the age of 10yrs old to the age of 50yrs old. That chronic abuse included rape and molestation by men and females he knew and did not know. By the time he got to me, his trauma symptoms worsened and evolved into delusions. The delusions included delusions of grandeur (belief that he could defeat his enemies by just looking at them), delusions of persecution (belief he was being persecuted for being “so talented”), and somatic delusions (belief that he smelled like flowers and fear of what others would think).
What I failed to understand at the time was that his delusions were not so much of a psychotic nature as they were of a trauma-based nature. In other words, his delusions were developed, without his awareness, as a defense against years of trauma he had experienced. His trauma developed into strong beliefs held to be true despite strong evidence to the contrary. Nothing anyone else would tell him made a difference in how he viewed himself. In fact, when he would ask me if I noticed a feminine fragrance on him and I would say “no, not at all,” he would indicate I was lying, telling him what he wanted to hear, or “couldn’t detect it.” He would say “I’m so spiritual and ‘set apart’ that you can’t meet me where I’m at.” He was tormented by these delusions triggered by years of trauma.
Following this experience, I sadly encountered similar situations within the teen and adult population. I then pursued training in trauma-informed care (i.e., knowledge of trauma and how it affects the psyche).
Thanks, Jane, I found that valuable.